Sailbaot rig

ABSTRACT

A sailboat having a hull with a mast is provided that includes a boom and gaff that are both supported away from the mast. Both ends of the boom and gaff are connected by stays so that a vertical plane is created. The sail is raised and lowered by a pair of forward and aft halyards and the boom has a usual trimming sheet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present relates generally to an improved gaff rig for use on sailingvessels. Gaff rigged sailboats were developed over 150 years ago andreached great popularity when the schooner America won the America's Cupin England. In the early 1900's gaff rigs lost ground to Marconi rigs asthis rig yielded greater upwind speed. Gaff rigs also declined inpopularity due to the great windage and weight aloft and were difficultto vang to eliminate twist in the sail.

In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for a device to simplify theuse of larger sail areas and to control sail twist in the various sailsemployed on a cruising boat. As such, the instant invention relates to apractical gaff rig in which the gaff is controlled by the simpleexpedient of linking it to the boom.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this regard, the instant invention discloses a gaff rig for asailboat in which the boom and gaff are mechanically linked together.Essentially they trim together by the mainsheet. In my prior patent(U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,010) the boom was offset but with this inventionthe gaff is offset to the same side of the mast to synergisticallycreate a new aerodynamically superior rig. By projecting both the gaffand the boom ahead of the mast, there is established a clean leadingedge to the mainsail that changes the center of effort and makes iteasier to trim by reducing the load on the boom. As will be appreciatedthe portion of the sail forward of the mast is a counter balancingforce. It also reduces weather helm.

A square headed sail has recently emerged as the fastest mainsailprofile. To achieve the square shape, angled battens support the upperedge. Sails of this configuration can not be furled in the usual manneras the battens have to be removed and then reinstalled each time thesail is used. The instant invention places a gaff at the top of themainsail where it provides a trimming base for a leech halyard thatprovides adjustable upward and rearward support for the sail, which canuse conventional horizontal battens. To furl or reef the sail, lazyjacks (not shown) are employed. To reef, the sail is partially loweredunder the control of the forestay and backstay. This illustrates that toachieve a workable gaff, it is not only operably connected to the top ofthe mast but also the forward and rearward ends of the gaff areconnected respectively to the forward and rearward ends of the boom bythe stays. A system is therefore created where the boom and gaff acttogether in the same vertical plane, an important aspect of theinvention.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anoffset horizontal swiveling boom and offset gaff that are mechanicallylinked together to trim as one with a single mainsheet.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with variousfeatures of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed outwith particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part ofthis disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, itsoperating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplatedfor carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sailboat rigged in accordance withthe teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical view of the sailboat rig of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the halyards on thegaff showing the twist in the upper edge of the sail; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gooseneck fittings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The novel features which are characteristic of the present invention areset forth in the appended claims. However, the invention's preferredembodiments, togetherwith further objects and attendant advantages, willbe best understood by reference to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 sailboat rig in accordance with the teachingsof the present invention is illustrated where the sailboat 110 is fittedwith an un-stayed mast 112. Surrounding an upper and lower portion ofthe mast, which at these points must be tubular, are sleeves 114, 114 aand corresponding struts 116, 116 a. The sleeves are suitable secured tothe mast for rotation only. The struts 116, 116 a are preferably affixedto the tubular boom and gaff 120, 122 by tubular sleeves 115, 115 awhich permits not only rotation but also in connection with the gaff theangle relative to the mast. A sail 124 is affixed to the boom at 126,128 and the luff 125 of the sail is hanked onto the forestay 134 as at127, for example. The upper edge of the sail is hoisted aloft by a luffhalyard 130 and a leech halyard 132. The essential and unique part ofthis rig is a fixed forestay 134 between the boom and the gaff which istensioned by the vang 140 and a fixed backstay 136. To control the boomthere a sheet 142, which due to the two stays interconnecting the gaffand boom also controls the gaff. By enclosing the large diameter freestanding mast with a light stiff, aerodynamic sleeve 150 that freelyrotates like a wind vane, windage drag is substantially reduced.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3 there is shown a detail of the trimmingof the sail that can be achieved. The gaff 122 is vertically supportedby the sleeve 114 a and is connected to the boom 120 by the forestay 134and backstay 136. By adjusting the leech halyard 132, the trim angle ofthe upper part of the sail can be adjusted. Essentially there is controlof twist in the upper part of the sail. By twisting off the upper partof the sail 125, as seen in FIG. 3, heeling control is gained while thelower part of the sail remains effectively trimmed.

It should be appreciated that the forestay and backstay that verticallyconnect the boom and gaff create a system where the two spars act inconcert in a single plane. There is created a connected system wheredownward pressure on the mainsheet 142 will create an upward pressure onthe forward part of the gaff. Since the boom is restrained at itsforward end by a vang 140 the result is adjustable luff tension that isparticularly useful when sailing to windward. Additionally, it can beseen that not only is the boom carried forward of the mast, but also thegaff. Thus there is 20 to 30 percent of the sail forward of the mast andthis will decrease the “weather helm” as there is more balance. It alsoreduces sheeting load. This portion of the sail forward of the mast isparticularly useful in a jibe as this forward part of the sail acts toslow the dangerous velocity of the boom as it swings from one side tothe other.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventiveconcept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms hereinshown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of theappended claims.

1. A sailboat comprising: a hull; a mast extending vertically from thehull; a boom coupled to the mast by a strut for horizontal rotation andextending fore and aft of the mast; a gaff operably coupled to the mastby a strut; and a single sail having a head, tack and clew, operablyaffixed to the boom and gaff, wherein the forward and rear ends of theboom and gaff are vertically connected by separate means.
 2. Thesailboat as in claim 1, wherein the means connecting the rearward endsof the boom and gaff is a backstay.
 3. The sailboat as in claim 1,wherein the means connecting the forward ends of the boom and gaff is aforestay.
 4. The sailboat as in claim 1, wherein an aerodynamic sleeveembraces the mast for free rotation
 5. A sailboat comprising: a hull; afreestanding mast extending vertically from the hull; a pair of strutscoupled to the mast each by a sleeve for rotation thereabout; a boomconnected to a first of the pair of struts and a gaff connected to asecond of the pair of struts, the gaff and second strut configured forup and down movement along the mast; a sail connected to the boom andthe gaff; a forestay connected between forward ends of the boom andgaff; a backstay connected between rearward ends of the boom and gaff;and a leech halyard connected to the rearward end of the gaff to controla horizontal angle of the gaff.